A FALLING STAR FELL FROM YOUR HEART
AND LANDED IN MY EYES
Zaira cannot remember how she got here. Or even when, though she imagines it must have been recent. Her last memory is of home, the desert expanse and the touch of her mother on her brow. Sahara's kind gesture of love as she bid her youngest daughter good night before returning to Zaira's father, Samsara. The king and queen, respected and beloved. Princess Zaira, the youngest and the least inclined for greatness. That was not to say she was not a great beauty, as she had at least been blessed in that department but she was not her sisters. Princess Paradise. The first born of the twins. Strikingly beautiful, tall, and impressive. A wide blaze to her eyes that glittered like twin pools. She was captivating in her movements, mannerisms, and voice. Spoiled by both parents, she was doted on and loved and yet remained a pleasant enough woman.
Princess Oasis. The second born twin and the eventual heir to the throne. Strong, open-minded, and just. She was not overlooked just for being a woman and was given the position she so truly deserved. She was devoted to their parents and the kingdom, though she did not speak to Zaira often. She was too busy.
And what of Zaira's own twin? The Prince Mirage. Older by mere minutes, but much wiser than she had ever hoped to be. He was close to their father, more warrior than diplomat. Even as the faces on Samsara's face greyed, Mirage made no move to overthrow. He was content to take up arms for his family, but had no desire to head it. He was strange and Zaira found him hard to talk to at the best of times.
And so that left Princess Zaira. The little flower, or perhaps her family had simply run out of more literal names. She was closest to her mother, though even that relationship felt forced at times. Sahara was the kindest horse she had ever known, and she had known many horses in her father's service, but she only had so much time. Zaira preferred watching the rare butterfly that fluttered around the oasis of their home and watching desert critters scuttle across the sands to royal duties. She was a princess in name and manners, but it was not what she wanted.
She'd heard of forests, she wasn't a fool. Her father ruled over an entire land but she had never deigned to leave the safety of the desert. The ground is strange beneath her feet. Too solid and it causes the bones in her legs to ache and tremble as she moves hesitantly into the trees. She'd washed up on the shore and the scent of the sea still clings to her. It is a strange assault on her nostrils, but the trees are as well. This is not her father's kingdom, and for the first time she is no one.
And she smiles. |
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